15 countries report high pandemic (H1N1) 2009 activity

During the period 4–10 December 2009, very high influenza activity was reported in Lithuania, and high activity was reported in 14 other countries: Albania, Estonia, Greece, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.

While clinical activity remains high in these 15 countries, clinical respiratory disease activity has declined in 10 countries over the past 3 weeks: Belgium, Bulgaria, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Ukraine.

In addition, 27 countries reported a total of 412 deaths involving laboratory-confirmed cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus infection from 4 to 10 December. This raises the total number of deaths reported in the European Region since April 2009 to 1655.

As of 11 December 2009, 27 countries in the European Region had started vaccination campaigns against pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza, and a further 4 will start by the end of the year. Azerbaijan and Ukraine will receive donated vaccine before the end of the year.